The City of Turlock is constructing a median that will run from the North Walnut and Christoffersen Parkway intersection in front of Turlock Junior High School, to just north of Winter Haven Drive ...

Locals driving around Turlock have likely noticed the extensive roadwork being conducted across town as the City aims to near completion on several ongoing projects prior to the first day of school this month. On Tuesday Director of Development Services Mike Pitcock will provide the Turlock City Council a full rundown on four projects that are currently being completed or soon to begin across town.

The intersection of East Main Street and Colorado Avenue is commonly traversed by driving parents and walking students coming and going to nearby schools which include Turlock High School, Dutcher Middle School, and Julien Elementary. The City is in the last leg of the remodel that has smoothed pavements, extended sidewalks, gutters, and curbs, as well as repainted street lines.

“I had someone tell me it was the first time he drove to work without spilling his coffee,” said Pitcock at the Planning Commission meeting on Thursday. “We focused on Main and Colorado first because of the schools. We wanted to get as much of that project done prior to schools opening.”

Across town a median is being built in front of Turlock Junior High School to discourage students from darting across North Walnut Road. The median, which will feature a four foot wrought iron fence, was motivated by a car accident that placed a student in critical condition several years ago. While the median will restrict parents and teachers ability to turn in and out of the campus parking lot possibly meaning they may have to find new ways to drive to TJHS, bus stops and parent drop off locations on Christofferson Parkway will help to relieve the inconvenience.

“We’ve been working with the school district hand in hand the whole time to accommodate all the necessary issue that come along with the improvement, but the improvement is necessary to children’s safety,” explained Pitcock.

The physical improvement will be completed before the first day of school but landscaping will likely take several more weeks.

There will also be activity on the westside of Highway 99 in upcoming weeks as the City begins a process to realign Dianne Drive with Auto Mall Drive, which will prompt detours towards nearby streets.

“There will be closures on Fulkerth Road and detours but access to and from the auto mall will be available,” said Pitcock.

The intersection of Colorado and Monte Vista that had been idle for several weeks is also set to resume construction as the contractor has been aiming to complete a school project out of town prior to the first day of school, just like the City of Turlock.

“A lot of people have probably been wondering why the City isn’t doing anything to get that project going but we don’t have the ability to force the contractor to work or not work,” explained Pitcock.

The City anticipates the contractor to resume work on the Colorado and Monte Vista intersection project in upcoming weeks.

Also to be discussed at the Tuesday City Council meeting will be:

· An update on the City’s landscape water conservation efforts.

· Performance evaluations of the City Manager and the City Attorney in closed session.

The Turlock City Council will meet at 6 p.m. on Tuesday at City Hall, located at 156 S. Broadway Ave.